Top Morning News 11.28.12

Bob Dole hospitalized for a routine procedure; Karl Rove to speak at ranchers convention in Wichita; Gov. Brownback says he thinks the U.S. will avoid the Fiscal Cliff.

Ex-Sen. Dole Hospitalized For Routine Procedure

Senator Bob Dole of Kansas has checked himself into Walter Reed Army Medical Center for what his spokesperson, Marion Watkins, described as a routine procedure.

Watkins says the 89-year-old Dole is "doing very well" and is expected to leave the hospital Wednesday.

Dole's name drew mention Tuesday as the Senate debated a U.N. treaty promoting equal rights for the disabled. Dole overcame disabling war wounds to forge a 36-year political career. In the early 1990s, he underwent successful surgery for prostate cancer and in 2001 he had surgery to treat an aneurysm. Dole spent 10 months at Walter Reed in 2010 after suffering pneumonia following knee surgery.

Dole was the Republican nominee for president in 1996, losing to Bill Clinton.

GOP's Rove To Speak To Kansas Ranchers Convention

Hundreds of Kansas cattle producers are gathering in Wichita this week. They will hear Republican political strategist Karl Rove discuss what he believes the recent election means for the nation and its agricultural sector.

Rove was senior adviser and deputy chief of staff for former President George W. Bush. He is the featured speaker Wednesday kicking off the Kansas Livestock Association's 100th convention in Wichita.

KLA says 600 people are expected to hear Rove speak. About 800 cattle raisers are expected to attend the three-day KLA event. CattleFax Executive Vice President Randy Blach is scheduled on Friday to address the market outlook for ranchers, feeders and dairymen.

Brownback Believes U.S. Will Avoid Fiscal Cliff

Time is running out before the nation heads over the so-called fiscal cliff. If lawmakers in Washington don't reach a budget agreement soon, a series of automatic spending cuts and tax increases will take effect, and have an impact on Kansans.

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Arkansas River Compact Administrators Plan Meeting

The Arkansas River Compact Administration will meet in Kansas next week to review operations at the John Martin Reservoir in Colorado.

The panel's annual meeting takes place December 6 in Garden City. Also on the agenda are a compliance update, committee reports, and other developments from state and federal agencies.

The group administers provisions of the Kansas-Colorado Arkansas River Compact, including operations at the John Martin Reservoir. The compact was negotiated in 1948 between Kansas and Colorado to settle disputes and remove sources of future controversy over water in the Arkansas River.

KS Governor Launches Weight-loss Challenge

Governor Sam Brownback and members of his Cabinet are challenging state employees in a weight-loss contest. The challenge will run from mid-January to the middle of May. It's aimed at encouraging Kansans to fight obesity and adopt healthier eating habits. More information here.